export CVS_SERVER=git-cvsserver
cvs -d :ext:user@server/path/repo.git co <HEAD_name>

It is highly functional. However, not all methods are implemented, and for those methods that are implemented, not all switches are implemented.

Testing has been done using both the CLI CVS client, and the Eclipse CVS plugin. Most functionality works fine with both of these clients.

CVS clients cannot tag, branch or perform GIT merges.

1.

If you are going to offer anonymous CVS access via pserver, add a line in /etc/inetd.conf like

   cvspserver stream tcp nowait nobody git-cvsserver pserver

Note: In some cases, you need to pass the pserver argument twice for git-cvsserver to see it. So the line would look like

   cvspserver stream tcp nowait nobody git-cvsserver pserver pserver

No special setup is needed for SSH access, other than having GIT tools in the PATH. If you have clients that do not accept the CVS_SERVER env variable, you can rename git-cvsserver to cvs.

2.

For each repo that you want accessible from CVS you need to edit config in the repo and add the following section.

   [gitcvs]
        enabled=1
        # optional for debugging
        logfile=/path/to/logfile

Note: you need to ensure each user that is going to invoke git-cvsserver has write access to the log file and to the git repository. When offering anon access via pserver, this means that the nobody user should have write access to at least the sqlite database at the root of the repository.

3.

On the client machine you need to set the following variables. CVSROOT should be set as per normal, but the directory should point at the appropriate git repo. For example:

For SSH access, CVS_SERVER should be set to git-cvsserver

Example:

     export CVSROOT=:ext:user@server:/var/git/project.git
     export CVS_SERVER=git-cvsserver

4.

For SSH clients that will make commits, make sure their .bashrc file sets the GIT_AUTHOR and GIT_COMMITTER variables.

5.

Clients should now be able to check out the project. Use the CVS module name to indicate what GIT head you want to check out. Example:

     cvs co -d project-master master